Best in Class

The finalists for our first annual CHRO of the Year awards.

By The Editors

For our first annual CHRO of the Year awards, HRO Today is recognizing those CHROs with the capabilities to adapt to a competitive business environment in order to deliver the insight needed for HR transformation. We understand the importance of CHROs who drive workforce initiatives through innovation with measurable excellence in employee engagement and retention to prove it.

We have a roundup of incredible finalists. These CHROs are responsible for providing leadership to ensure talent acquisition and retention, business growth, and a culture that can lead in a global workforce.

Here’s some insight into the finalists. They are listed in alphabetical order.

JAN BECKER

Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Autodesk

As Autodesk’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Becker is responsible for worldwide human resources, corporate real estate, facilities, and community relations. She was promoted to vice president from her position as the senior director of HR for the design solutions division in 2000. She also managed the HR Future team, a group focused on helping Autodesk transform itself into a new-economy company.

KEVIN BRADY

HR Director, Technology Service and Operations (TSO)
BT

In November 2012, Brady was appointed as HR director for TSO and has been working on the build and transformation agenda for the new business. He joined BT in 1992 as a graduate and has held a variety of HR generalist and functional roles within BT, including specializing in reward, people development, and resourcing.

With more than 19 years of experience developing and executing strategies that enhance cultural and organizational change, Cabral has spent the past seven years driving the health system’s business objectives, vision, and values forward in all aspects of talent management and human resources operations in order to achieve the organization’s goals.

In her role, Davin is responsible for human resources strategy and management, organizational development, labor relations, and collective bargaining negotiations for VNSNY and its affiliates. Under her leadership, VNSNY has been named a best place to work at national, state, and local levels in healthcare, not-for-profit, and general industry competitions. She is a recognized leader in her field, with more than 20 years of accomplishments and senior management experience.

MICHELLE DITONDO

Senior Vice President, Human Resources
MGM Resorts International

As the company’s top human resources executive, DiTondo leads the team responsible for strategic development and implementation of the people philosophy and culture for MGM Resorts. Her priorities are leadership development, employee culture, and providing the essential link between employee engagement and guest experience.

JULIE FLETCHER

Chief Talent Officer
AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.

In her role, Fletcher provides leadership for attracting, developing, and optimizing team member talent for corporate roles and across AMN’s diverse family of workforce solutions and staffing companies. She joined AMN Healthcare in 2008 as the senior vice president for human resources, after having served as the chief human resources officer for H&R Block’s Option One Mortgage Company.

ROGER GASTON

Senior Vice President, Human Resources,
Avaya

In his role at the business collaboration and communications solutions provider, Gaston is responsible for employee compensation and benefits, employee communications, workforce relations, organizational development and transformation, recruitment, talent management, and labor relations.

MINDY GEISSER

Chief People Officer
Colliers

Geisser has worked in human resources for nearly 24 years and has a proven track record in all aspects of HR management, general business expertise and leadership, working in the public and private sector, for global manufacturing, technology, services, and product companies.

Kimble’s expertise includes training, employee and labor relations, and human resources strategy. His 20-year career in human resources includes being executive VP of human resources at MV Transportation, a leading provider of bus and transit services in North America.

KAWEL B. LAUBACH

Chief Human Resources Officer
Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority

As chief human resource officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, LauBach oversees all human resource and guest service functions. He was an original member of the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs’s management team, tasked with opening the first casino in Pennsylvania and most recently served as the vice president of administration, overseeing non-gaming operations, human resources, and guest service functions.

JENNIFER MANN

Vice President, Human Resources
SAS

In her current role, Mann is responsible for developing and guiding SAS’ HR vision and articulating the organization’s strategy to help acquire, develop, reward, and retain the best talent. She leads a global HR organization that acts as stewards of the SAS culture and engages a global workforce of more than 13,000 with diverse talents and skills. SAS has been ranked on the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list since the list’s inception.

SCOTT MCMILLAN

Global Head Leader – Head of Global HR Shared Services
Capgemini US llc

In his role, McMillian is focused on designing, implementing, and ultimately running the global HR centers of excellence with a primary focus on learning, recruitment, international mobility, compensation, and HR systems. In addition, he leads select global initiatives around the human resources components of the business.

CAROL WUENSCHEL

Executive Director of Human Resources
Hood College

As executive director of human resources for Hood College and an adjunct professor in the economics and business administration department, Wuenschel is responsible for the strategic positioning and empowerment of the most important asset of the institution—its people. With more than 19 years of senior executive level experience in human resources, she has utilized her leadership expertise in the areas of strategic planning, diversity and inclusion, recruitment and retention, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, and employee training and development.